Goddard Resisted Arrest and Was Killed

Tuesday morning about daybreak Rhodard Goddard, a white man living in Ward Four, was shot and instantly killed by a sheriff’s posse while resisting arrest. He was struck in the side and head with two charges of buck shot from a shot gun.

Goddard shot Paul Roberts a few weeks ago, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Previous attempts have been made to capture him but without avail. He was known to be a desperate and fearless man, and had openly made threats against any official who would attempt to arrest him.

Sheriff Pleasant well knew the dangerous character of the man, and he exercised the utmost precaution to effect his capture without harming him or imperiling the lives of his deputies. Accordingly Mr. Pleasant selected a spring away from the house, where it was Goddards custom to visit early in the morning on rising, hoping to find him there without arms. The posse was stationed about that spring, and at the usual time Goddard put in his appearance.

He was commanded to surrender but instead of doing so he attempted to draw his pistol, getting it partially out of his pocket, when the deadly bullets were fired at him.

Affairs of this kind are regrettable, but they are sometimes necessary as was evidently the case in this instance.